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SECTION 23 05 93
TESTING, ADJUSTING, AND BALANCING FOR HVAC
PART 1 - GENERAL
1.1 DESCRIPTION
A. Testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) of heating, ventilating and air
conditioning (HVAC) systems. TAB includes the following:
1. Planning systematic TAB procedures.
2. Design Review Report.
3. Systems Inspection report.
4. Duct Air Leakage test report.
5. Systems Readiness Report.
6. Balancing air and water distribution systems; adjustment of total
system to provide design performance; and testing performance of
equipment and automatic controls.
7. Vibration and sound measurements.
8. Recording and reporting results.
B. Definitions:
1. Basic TAB used in this Section: Chapter 37, "Testing, Adjusting and
Balancing" of 2007 ASHRAE Handbook, "HVAC Applications".
2. TAB: Testing, Adjusting and Balancing; the process of checking and
adjusting HVAC systems to meet design objectives.
3. AABC: Associated Air Balance Council.
4. NEBB: National Environmental Balancing Bureau.
5. Air Systems: Includes supply air, and return air.
6. Flow rate tolerance: The allowable percentage variation, minus to
plus, of actual flow rate from values (design) in the contract
documents.
1.2 RELATED WORK
A. Section 23 05 11, COMMON WORK RESULTS FOR HVAC: General Mechanical
Requirements.
B. Section 23 07 11, HVAC INSULATION: Piping and Equipment Insulation.
C. Section 23 31 00, HVAC DUCTS AND CASINGS: Duct Leakage.
D. Section 23 09 23, DIRECT-DIGITAL CONTROL SYSTEM FOR HVAC: Controls and
Instrumentation Settings.
E. Section 23 37 00, AIR OUTLETS AND INLETS
F. Section 23 81 43, AIR-SOURCE UNITARY HEAT PUMPS

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1.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE

A. Refer to Articles, Quality Assurance and Submittals, in Section
23 05 11, COMMON WORK RESULTS FOR HVAC
B. Qualifications:
1. TAB Agency: The TAB agency shall be a subcontractor of the General
Contractor and shall report to and be paid by the General
Contractor.
2. The TAB agency shall be either a certified member of AABC or
certified by the NEBB to perform TAB service for HVAC, water
balancing and vibrations and sound testing of equipment. The
certification shall be maintained for the entire duration of duties
specified herein. If, for any reason, the agency loses subject
certification during this period, the General Contractor shall
immediately notify the COR and submit another TAB firm for approval.
Any agency that has been the subject of disciplinary action by
either the AABC or the NEBB within the five years preceding Contract
Award shall not be eligible to perform any work related to the TAB.
All work performed in this Section and in other related Sections by
the TAB agency shall be considered invalid if the TAB agency loses
its certification prior to Contract completion, and the successor
agency’s review shows unsatisfactory work performed by the
predecessor agency.
3. TAB Specialist: The TAB specialist shall be either a member of AABC
or an experienced technician of the Agency certified by NEBB. The
certification shall be maintained for the entire duration of duties
specified herein. If, for any reason, the Specialist loses subject
certification during this period, the General Contractor shall
immediately notify the COR and submit another TAB Specialist for
approval. Any individual that has been the subject of disciplinary
action by either the AABC or the NEBB within the five years
preceding Contract Award shall not be eligible to perform any duties
related to the HVAC systems, including TAB. All work specified in
this Section and in other related Sections performed by the TAB
specialist shall be considered invalid if the TAB Specialist loses
its certification prior to Contract completion and must be performed
by an approved successor.

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4. TAB Specialist shall be identified by the General Contractor within

60 days after the notice to proceed. The TAB specialist will be
coordinating, scheduling and reporting all TAB work and related
activities and will provide necessary information as required by the
COR. The responsibilities would specifically include:
a. Shall directly supervise all TAB work.
b. Shall sign the TAB reports that bear the seal of the TAB
standard. The reports shall be accompanied by report forms and
schematic drawings required by the TAB standard, AABC or NEBB.
c. Would follow all TAB work through its satisfactory completion.
d. Shall provide final markings of settings of all HVAC adjustment
devices.
e. Permanently mark location of duct test ports.
5. All TAB technicians performing actual TAB work shall be experienced
and must have done satisfactory work on a minimum of 3 projects
comparable in size and complexity to this project. Qualifications
must be certified by the TAB agency in writing. The lead technician
shall be certified by AABC or NEBB
C. Test Equipment Criteria: The instrumentation shall meet the
accuracy/calibration requirements established by AABC National
Standards or by NEBB Procedural Standards for Testing, Adjusting and
Balancing of Environmental Systems and instrument manufacturer. Provide
calibration history of the instruments to be used for test and balance
purpose.
D. Tab Criteria:
1. One or more of the applicable AABC, NEBB or SMACNA publications,
supplemented by ASHRAE Handbook "HVAC Applications" Chapter 36, and
requirements stated herein shall be the basis for planning,
procedures, and reports.
2. Flow rate tolerance: Following tolerances are allowed. For
tolerances not mentioned herein follow ASHRAE Handbook "HVAC
Applications", Chapter 36, as a guideline. Air Filter resistance
during tests, artificially imposed if necessary, shall be at least
100 percent of manufacturer recommended change over pressure drop
values for pre-filters and after-filters.
a. Air handling unit and all other fans, cubic meters/min (cubic
feet per minute): Minus 0 percent to plus l0 percent.

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b. Air terminal units (maximum values): Minus 2 percent to plus l0

percent.
3. Systems shall be adjusted for energy efficient operation as
described in PART 3.
4. Typical TAB procedures and results shall be demonstrated to the COR
for one air distribution system (including all fans, three terminal
units, three rooms randomly selected by the COR) and one hydronic
system (pumps and three coils) as follows:
a. When field TAB work begins.
b. During each partial final inspection and the final inspection for
the project if requested by VA.
1.4 SUBMITTALS
A. Submit in accordance with Section 01 33 23, SHOP DRAWINGS, PRODUCT
DATA, and SAMPLES.
B. Submit names and qualifications of TAB agency and TAB specialists
within 60 days after the notice to proceed. Submit information on three
recently completed projects and a list of proposed test equipment.
C. For use by the COR staff, submit one complete set of applicable AABC or
NEBB publications that will be the basis of TAB work.
D. Submit Following for Review and Approval:
1. Design Review Report within 90 days for conventional design projects
after the system layout on air and water side is completed by the
Contractor.
2. Systems inspection report on equipment and installation for
conformance with design.
3. Duct Air Leakage Test Report.
4. Systems Readiness Report.
5. Intermediate and Final TAB reports covering flow balance and
adjustments, performance tests, vibration tests and sound tests.
6. Include in final reports uncorrected installation deficiencies noted
during TAB and applicable explanatory comments on test results that
differ from design requirements.
E. Prior to request for Final or Partial Final inspection, submit
completed Test and Balance report for the area.

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1.5 APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

A. The following publications form a part of this specification to the
extent indicated by the reference thereto. In text the publications are
referenced to by the acronym of the organization.
B. American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning
Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE):
2007 ...................HVAC Applications ASHRAE Handbook, Chapter 37,
Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing and Chapter
47, Sound and Vibration Control
C. Associated Air Balance Council (AABC):
2002....................AABC National Standards for Total System
Balance
D. National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB):
7th Edition 2005 ........Procedural Standards for Testing, Adjusting,
Balancing of Environmental Systems
2nd Edition 2006 .......Procedural Standards for the Measurement of
Sound and Vibration
rd
3 Edition 2009 ........Procedural Standards for Whole Building Systems
Commissioning of New Construction
E. Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association
(SMACNA):
3rd Edition 2002 ........HVAC SYSTEMS Testing, Adjusting and Balancing
PART 2 - PRODUCTS
2.1 PLUGS
A. Provide plastic plugs to seal holes drilled in ductwork for test
purposes.
2.2 INSULATION REPAIR MATERIAL
A. See Section 23 07 11, HVAC INSULATION Provide for repair of insulation
removed or damaged for TAB work.
PART 3 - EXECUTION
3.1 GENERAL
A. Refer to TAB Criteria in Article, Quality Assurance.
B. Obtain applicable contract documents and copies of approved submittals
for HVAC equipment and automatic control systems.
3.2 DESIGN REVIEW REPORT
A. The TAB Specialist shall review the Contract Plans and specifications
and advise the COR of any design deficiencies that would prevent the

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HVAC systems from effectively operating in accordance with the sequence

of operation specified or prevent the effective and accurate TAB of the
system. The TAB Specialist shall provide a report individually listing
each deficiency and the corresponding proposed corrective action
necessary for proper system operation.
3.3 SYSTEMS INSPECTION REPORT
A. Inspect equipment and installation for conformance with design.
B. The inspection and report is to be done after air distribution
equipment is on site and duct installation has begun, but well in
advance of performance testing and balancing work. The purpose of the
inspection is to identify and report deviations from design and ensure
that systems will be ready for TAB at the appropriate time.
C. Reports: Follow check list format developed by AABC, NEBB or SMACNA,
supplemented by narrative comments, with emphasis on air handling units
and fans. Check for conformance with submittals. Verify that diffuser
and register sizes are correct. Check air terminal unit installation
including their duct sizes and routing.
3.4 DUCT AIR LEAKAGE TEST REPORT
A. TAB Agency shall perform the leakage test as outlined in "Duct leakage
Tests and Repairs" in Section 23 31 00, HVAC DUCTS and CASINGS for TAB
agency’s role and responsibilities in witnessing, recording and
reporting of deficiencies.
3.6 TAB REPORTS
A. The TAB contractor shall provide raw data immediately in writing to the
COR if there is a problem in achieving intended results before
submitting a formal report.
B. If over 20 percent of readings in the intermediate report fall outside
the acceptable range, the TAB report shall be considered invalid and
all contract TAB work shall be repeated and re-submitted for approval
at no additional cost to the owner.
C. Do not proceed with the remaining systems until intermediate report is
approved by the COR.
3.7 TAB PROCEDURES
A. Tab shall be performed in accordance with the requirement of the
Standard under which TAB agency is certified by either AABC or NEBB.
B. General: During TAB all related system components shall be in full
operation. Fan and pump rotation, motor loads and equipment vibration

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shall be checked and corrected as necessary before proceeding with TAB.

Set controls and/or block off parts of distribution systems to simulate
design operation of variable volume air or water systems for test and
balance work.
C. Air Balance and Equipment Test: Include air handling units, fans,
terminal units, fan coil units, room diffusers/outlets/inlets, computer
room AC units.
3.8 IDENTIFICATION OF TEST PORTS
A. The TAB Specialist shall permanently and legibly identify the location
points of duct test ports. If the ductwork has exterior insulation, the
identification shall be made on the exterior side of the insulation.
All penetrations through ductwork and ductwork insulation shall be
sealed to prevent air leaks and maintain integrity of vapor barrier.
3.9 PHASING
A. Phased Projects: Testing and Balancing Work to follow project with
areas shall be completed per the project phasing. Upon completion of
the project all areas shall have been tested and balanced per the
contract documents.
B. Existing Areas: Systems that serve areas outside of the project scope
shall not be adversely affected. Measure existing parameters where
shown to document system capacity.

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